THE HANDMAID'S TALE

Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel has seen several adaptations--a Hollywood film, an opera, and an unabridged audiobook, as well as this dramatization produced for BBC Radio 4. Not only is it well acted by an American cast (it wouldn't have worked with British voices), but the directors also make excellent use of subtle audio cues. For example, newscasts in the background nicely convey the culture of this dystopian society in which the few women who can bear children are made into surrogates. Though it's just three hours, this coherent production retains much of the flavor of the original novel. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 05]